Chapter 179: Meal Card

However, since the matter was raised, Bai Zimu gave face and promised to go along to take a look at Soochow University.

It was unknown how Lu Ping had arranged it, but when they reached the school gate of Soochow University, people from Baohua Silver Building were actually already waiting there.

The one waiting there wasn’t just anyone; it was Master He’s youngest disciple, named Cang Tian. He was the last one mentioned in the famous “Eight Protectors” of Baohua Silver Building:

“Chen, Qian, Gu, Liang, Lu, Ma, Guan, Cang.”

The first four were the older master craftsmen of the building. They were advanced in age and currently in a semi-retired state, remaining at Baohua Silver Building voluntarily purely because they owed Master He a favor and wanted to polish their craft; the latter four referred to the four most famous disciples of Master He. Leading them was Lu Ping, followed closely by the second disciple Ma Jie, the third disciple Guan Yutao, and the youngest disciple Cang Tian.

Cang Tian stood at the school gate, quite nervous. He smoothed his collar and walked over with steady steps, carrying a briefcase.

Ma Jie watched his junior fellow brother out of the corner of his eye, but Lu Ping acted as if he hadn’t seen anything. Ma Jie had to harden his scalp and say:

“A while ago, Soochow University opened an Art Appreciation course. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] You, Master, know that the collection in Pingjiang City is mostly ours, especially the ‘Treasure of the Building’ you left behind. So, we collaborated a bit, and invited several of our master craftsmen to go over and give a few lectures or something…”

Just as he was speaking, Cang Tian walked over and said as soon as he opened his mouth:

“Master, what a coincidence, didn’t expect to meet you here.”

Ma Jie, who was still trying hard to make up for it: “…”

The junior fellow brother’s acting was truly mediocre. He stood there stiffly, not daring to look Master He in the eye while speaking, and awkwardly finished memorizing his lines:

“I came here to give a lecture, lecturing on gold and silver filigree craftsmanship. Coincidentally, your piece ‘Turn of Fortune’ was put out for exhibition a while ago. Why don’t you come over with me and take a look?”

Master He was unhappy, his face sinking as he wanted to scold someone:

“Is it a coincidence, or was it arranged? Think carefully before you speak. In my life, the thing I hate most is people scheming against me.”

“Master, how would we dare to scheme against you!”

“Heaven knows, Master! Ever since I came over from Dongchang, I’ve been following you every step of the way, not leaving for a single moment. I truly didn’t know about this matter with Little Junior Brother!”

……

Several people were there crying out their grievances. Ma Jie, in order to save himself, even acted as if he wasn’t very familiar with his junior fellow brother.

Bai Zimu had grown up beside Master He and knew the old man’s temper very well. As soon as he saw this, he knew he was about to get angry, so he hurriedly stood out to smooth things over:

“Thank you, Uncle Cang. I actually wanted to come and take a look around the campus. The teachers only told us how good the university is, but I’ve never seen it with my own eyes. This is my first time stepping into a university gate.”

He supported Master He’s arm, walking as he said, “Grandpa, next year when I get into university, you must come and send me off in person. I heard that the university campus is especially big and you have to take a sightseeing bus. Oh right, the canteen is also different…”

Master He tried several times to look back to find his disciples, but was led away by Bai Zimu finding other topics.

Coaxing him like this all the way, he slowly led Master He into the campus.

There were many people on campus, and Master He cared about his face, so with so many people around, this matter was left at that and not mentioned again.

Lu Ping wiped the sweat from his forehead and followed closely behind, helping to explain things on the side. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] He had also come to Soochow University to give lectures before, and therefore was somewhat familiar with it.

Ma Jie pulled a distance away, whispering and talking with his junior fellow brother, arranging the explanation for later.

Cang Tian said tremblingly: “Second Senior Brother, forget it. I feel Master isn’t very happy..”

Ma Jie said: “That’s because your acting wasn’t good enough. Didn’t I tell you? When Master gets angry, you cry. Why didn’t you do it just now?”

Cang Tian: “I didn’t dare.”

“Don’t even dare to cry?”

“Truly don’t dare. As soon as Master glares, my legs start to tremble and I forget everything.”

“Useless! What did I and the Eldest Senior Brother tell you normally? The key to success or failure is in this one move. Take Zimu to the classroom to experience the atmosphere and convince him to take the exam for this school. Practice well, go speak to Master again later, hurry up!”

……

The junior disciple thought of a prepared speech and went over again, trying to invite Master He to go to the lecture hall to listen for a while and experience the school atmosphere. Perhaps because he had practiced, it sounded much more sincere this time.

Master He didn’t follow the rules and refused to go at all.

“Why listen to those? Is he not tired enough from studying at school? It’s not easy for him to take a few days off to come out, and he still has to listen to you chanting on stage! Not going, not going!”

Master He put his hands behind his back, let out a snort, and said, “What kind of insight can you lecture on? If Zimu really wants to listen, I’ll lecture to him when we get back!”

Cang Tian: “…”

Cang Tian thought to himself, that’s right.

Compared to what he was lecturing on, how could it be even one percent as comprehensive as what Master lectured on?

Cang Tian felt extremely ashamed in his heart, and even wanted to follow Bai Zimu to audit the class and listen to what Master He lectured on.

Ma Jie watched from the side and saw Master He was about to leave, so he got a bit anxious and chased after him, calling out repeatedly.

The junior fellow brother also wanted to go, but he still had a lecture to give and couldn’t decline, so he had to hurry to the lecture hall first.

Cang Tian had prepared very thoroughly for this lecture. He originally thought Master would bring Bai Zimu over to listen together, and wrote nearly a hundred pages of drafts for this purpose. However, with Master not coming, he couldn’t muster his spirits. He picked out the important parts to lecture on, ended the exchange after an hour, and left after packing up his materials.

When the person in charge at the school saw this, he came over to ask and only then learned that it was Master He himself who had come. He immediately brightened up and said excitedly:

“This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The guest Mr. Lu mentioned before was Master He, right? You are truly too polite. With such an important figure as Master He visiting, we should have been notified to make preparations!”

The weight of the three characters “He Yanchun” could be called the undisputed authority in the domestic jewelry world.

The person in charge at Soochow University hurriedly notified people and prepared a car, planning to take the old gentleman to slowly tour the school. This wasn’t normally allowed, but Master He was advanced in age and had difficulty moving, so an exception was made.

Lu Ping led Master He and introduced things as they walked around the campus. They hadn’t run into the people looking for them yet; just the few of them chatting and talking made things much more relaxed.

Bai Zimu had already coaxed the old man into a good mood. At this moment, he smiled several times and patted Bai Zimu’s hand, saying softly:

“Don’t coax me, about you staying here to accompany me for a few days, last night I still heard you and Dongchuan on the phone, saying you’d go back after Mid-Autumn Festival… Oh, so you’re leaving yourself and dumping me here?”

Bai Zimu said: “How could that be? Grandpa will obviously go with me. When I go to university, I’ll take you along.”

Master He was amused by him.

Lu Ping took the opportunity to interject:

“Master, the master craftsmen of our Baohua Silver Building can come over here to give lectures. If you have this intention, when Zimu gets into Soochow University, you can communicate with the school. They will certainly be willing to hire you as a professor…”

Master He turned his head to look at him and said coldly:

“Mind your own business less. Wherever Zimu wants to take the exam, he will.”

Lu Ping laughed apologetically: “I was just suggesting…”

“Suggestion won’t work either. I haven’t stretched my hands to manage you people, and yet you’ve managed to reach my grandson’s head? If I hear another word, just leave, don’t stay here and be annoying.”

These words were heavy, causing cold sweat to break out on Lu Ping’s forehead, and he could only keep saying yes.

After walking around Soochow University for a period of time, it was time for dinner.

Lu Ping prepared a banquet, but Master He was still in a fit of anger and refused to go with him, taking Bai Zimu to the school canteen instead.

“You guys go yourselves, I’m eating in the canteen with Zimu.”

“Master, how can this be? You didn’t eat well at noon, and you’ve been tired out along the way…”

Lu Ping was so flustered he didn’t know where to put his hands and feet, his face full of bitter misery.

Ma Jie looked at this one then that one, not daring to speak, only taking the opportunity to support the old man when going up the stairs, but was avoided by Master He.

Bai Zimu supported the old man up the stairs and secretly waved to him, signaling that he would coax him a bit more.

The two fellow brothers followed tremblingly behind. Not long after entering the canteen, the junior fellow brother Cang Tian chased over. He walked in front, followed by a swarm of school officials, and even a professor studying the history of modern arts and crafts who came over with intense eagerness.

Ma Jie waved his hand, not letting them follow.

Cang Tian caught up and asked in a low voice. Ma Jie used lip-reading to say: “Angry, wait a bit.”

In the canteen, in front of the window.

Master He was currently over there buying food with Bai Zimu. Soochow University had good conditions and was equipped with public meal trays, and the food was also very affordable.

It was just that a small problem was encountered when paying. Lu Ping originally wanted to go buy some meal tickets, but the canteen didn’t use meal tickets, but cards.

A thin meal card, somewhat like the IC card used in public telephone booths, with a built-in chip that could be used after recharging.

The canteen staff took out one for them, showed it, and then said to them:

“Old sir, the canteen is only open to the school’s teachers and students. If you are a visiting teacher, you still need to go over there to apply for a meal card first, and pay by swiping the card.”

Lu Ping heard this from the side and hurriedly said:

“Master, you and Zimu pick some more, I’ll go apply for the card, it’ll be done immediately.”

Master He nodded and let him go.

Bai Zimu’s gaze, however, landed on the hand of that canteen staff member, developing some interest in that meal card, and pursued:

“How is this card recharged? Can it be swiped immediately? Does it not require entering a separate password?”